The Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Immunologic Diseases (CIRID) grant supports four projects each of which involves a collaborative effort between basic laboratory scientists and clinicians. The first project involves the development of a temperature-sensitive mutant of Haemophilus influenza and to evaluate its potential for use as a safe and effective vaccine. The second project deals with the characterization of the Langerhans cell and its role in normal immunologic function as well as in dermatologic disease. The third project in the CIRIDs program concerns the role of prostaglandins in asthama. The purpose of this project is to study prostaglandin metabolism by alveolar macrophages and peripheral blood leukocytes and to relate differences in metabolism to sex and to the presence of an asthmatic condition. The fourth project in the program is a community outreach approach to understanding the various factors that interact in allergic disease in the Washington Metropolitan area. This outreach involves two different approaches. The first is an epidemiologic survey to determine the incidence and significance of allergic disease in the Metropolitan area based upon existing local and national health statistics as well as direct contact with health care facilities. The second approach involves an educational intervention program which emphasizes self-management techniques for asthmatics and their parents.